I am, I will, I do
by CosimaHellahaus
Summary: Inspired by that tumblr post where you imagine your OTP proposing to each other to get free food, and when the real proposal comes they can't believe it. Hollstein gross in love basically.


**Author's Note: Let me know if you find any typos. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Twenty bucks you're not gonna do it," Lafontaine throws at Carmilla from across the table and wastes no time with taking out the money from their pocket. Perry looks at them disapprovingly, but doesn't say anything. The only rule with Truth or Dare is that there are no rules. Especially when Carmilla picks dare.

Carmilla squints at them, "You can't _dare _me to propose to _my girlfriend_ during rush hour at bloody _Subway_." The words are more or less spitted out, and a grin spreads across Laf's face as they lean back in their booth. They've already won this round and they know it.

"It's alright, you can back out," _There's no way you're gonna back out now_, "I promise I will not remind you of this moment of weakness every single day for the next fifty years." _I will absolutely remind you of this day for the next fifty years._

Carmilla turns her head to look at Laura; she's got her elbow propped up on the table and her head rested on it, with her eyes looking straight into Carmilla's. And she can read Laura's look immediately – she doesn't think Carmilla's going to do it either. But there's something else there – disappointment?

It makes up Carmilla's mind anyhow. With a piercing look thrown at Lafontaine she gets up fully, stretches a little and then kneels down on one knee in front of Laura. The costumers around them start elbowing and shushing each other, and before she gets to clear her throat it gets dead quiet in the restaurant.

_Who would have thought all it takes to have some peace and quiet is a public proposal_, Carmilla thinks drily and she looks up into Laura's eyes and tries her best to form coherent sentences. She is not particularly successful, so she settles instead for taking Laura's hand and kissing her knuckles.

"I never thought I'd meet someone like you," Carmilla starts a little awkwardly, trying to not make her love declaration as cut out from a bad, disgustingly heterosexual, romantic comedy. "Someone who accepts me, all…sides of me," at this she smiles and squeezes Laura's hand a little tighter. "And you know I don't like making promises I can't keep, so I shall not promise you forever," People start cheering from the crowd, "but I _will _do my hardest to make you the happiest woman alive for as long as you will let me. Will you marry me?"

Laura lets out a little tear and as she gets hauled up in Laura's arms and then in a kiss that's burns fireworks behind her eyes, Carmilla wonders if maybe she took it too far. But then Laura whispers in her ear, "Oscar-worthy, Miss Karnstein," and then she laughs so care-free and young, Carmilla's fears can't help but disappear.

Not to mention they all get extra double sandwiches on the house, plus champagne in plastic glasses, which isn't that bad by any Truth of Dare standards. Laura squeezes Carmilla's thigh under the table, a little too high and a little too tight, and yeah.

This isn't bad at all.

* * *

They're lying in bed after the best sex Carmilla's ever had in her life, half on top of each other. Laura's got her head on Carmilla's chest and Carmilla's fingers are threading through her hair, and they stay like that, simply listening to their shallow, hot breaths as their fingers travel over their hot, sweaty skin.

"I was happy today," Laura says quietly as she draws circles on her girlfriend's stomach.

"You're not mad? For…you know…fake proposing?" Carmilla tries not to accentuate fake, tries not to feel the shiver going down her spine as she thinks about commitment and love and stone and dark graveyards. She rests her fingers in Laura's hair until its softness scares away the image of a door slamming, leaving her drunk and alone and as dead as she would ever be.

Laura turns her head to look at her and shrugs. "You saved my life multiple times. I put up with you clogging the drain daily. You wear my clothes and I find it so endearing I'd roll my eyes at myself if I were someone else. I'm so in love with you it's gross." She reaches out and cups Carmilla's cheek. Carmilla sees Laura space out a little as her thumb travels over her bottom lip, but then her eyes meet hers and her voice gets serious when she speaks again, "I don't need a ring to know what forever feels like."

And Carmilla kisses her, because nothing else compares.

She doesn't want to make it a thing. It was only a stupid dare, and yeah they received free food, and yeah, she had afterwards the best sex in her entire life, but still. She doesn't want to make it a Thing. A big, obnoxious Thing which would make the real proposal lose all of its meaning and beauty. Because she is falling more and more, every day. And crashing and drowning and diving her way into oblivion every time Laura's lips meet hers.

So she may have bought a ring. And she may have thought out the perfect plan for proposing. But it's February and the entire world has gone bat-shit crazy about Valentine's Day. All they need to do is hold hands while walking inside a café for people to start wobbling their eyebrows and throwing each other knowing looks.

They are having dinner at a nice Italian restaurant, just the two of them. It's quiet and cozy and comfortable; there's a small dancefloor in the middle of the restaurant and Carmilla makes sure they don't miss any slow songs that just _ask _for some Waltz. And with the way Laura blushes and smiles when she kisses her hand and bows before and after the dance, with the way her eyes light up when she takes Laura's hand and doesn't let go even when the waiter takes their order, Carmilla starts tasting forever in the back of her mouth.

But then, when they're finished eating, Laura wiggles her eyebrows in a way that makes Carmilla's stomach drop. Laura proceeds to clear her throat, stand up from her chair and hold a toast.

For Carmilla. Right before proposing.

Carmilla sensed it coming. She read the mischief in Laura's eyes, she understood where it was coming from. She was just afraid she'd have to fake the delight, the smile, the "Yes, of course I'll marry you!"

But the question comes, and it may only be a game but her feelings are as real as they ever were, and the smile forms on her lips before she even knows it's there. Her answer doesn't only sound delighted, it sounds surprised and genuine and like happiness in its purest form.

She realizes she does. She wants, she does, she does, she does. She kisses Laura and hopes she understands.

They leave the restaurant with a bottle of their best wine and extra dessert, which wind up somewhere above Carmilla's head when Laura tackles her into the snow. They fall laughing on top of each other, with snow under their jackets and small clouds forming when they open their mouths to catch their breath.

As Carmilla gazes up at Laura she realizes the stars aren't out yet, because she's having a hard time counting the freckles on Laura's nose. Or it may be because her focus keeps drifting down to Laura's lips. She decides to satisfy her curiosity so she pulls Laura closer by her jacket and yeah – they're as soft as they always are. Laura's eyes are still closed when they pull back, and Carmilla takes the chance to give her an eskimo kiss.

"We should do this more often," Laura says when Carmilla pulls back.

"What, lie in the snow together and get hypothermia? How romantic." Carmilla answers, but she's enjoying herself too much to really sound sarcastic.

Laura shrugs, "All of it. Propose, see who gets the best free stuff as a celebratory gift. Oh I know!" She says suddenly, way too excited for Carmilla to believe it's a good idea, "we could make it a contest! See who does the best proposal and we – we could give out points to each other! Whoever has the most points by the end of the month wins!"

Carmilla snorts. It's the worst idea she's ever heard.

"What?" Laura frowns.

"Nothing, nothing, it's just…God, you're such an idiot sometimes." She smiles.

"Fine, we don't have to do it."

"…no, let's do it."

"What, really?"

"Yeah…yeah, really."

* * *

They stay one week in New York and Carmilla proposes right in the middle of Times Square. A crowd forms around them, and right as Laura says "Yes" they all start clapping and cheering at the same time, so loud that the ground starts vibrating beneath them. A vendor nearby offers them free hot dogs.

* * *

Laura is admiring the chart she posted on the wall as Carmilla sneaks up behind her and wraps her in a hug.

"Stop worrying, sweetheart, I'm definitely winning."

"Oh, you wish," Laura scoffs and turns to face her, "you may have earned us incredibly expensive champagne and our own set of fangirls back in New York, but _I _have proposed three more times than you have. And _yes _it matters how make times you do it as well, not just the effect you have."

"I still have time, don't I," Carmilla hums before leaning down to kiss along Laura's neck, "I have one more day before the contest ends."

"I fail to see how you're going to beat my impressive score in just one day, but suit yourself." Laura tries to say as calmly and collectedly as possible, which is getting increasingly harder with the way Carmilla is running her tongue along her pulse point.

"I still have some tricks up my sleeve."

"Seems so," Laura's breath catches in her throat and she decides arguing is definitely not as important as it is to kiss Carmilla _right now_.

* * *

The 28th comes and goes without any proposals, and Carmilla acts like last night's discussion has never happened. Laura would be worried if she didn't know better. Still, something's definitely up. Her girlfriend is never the one to give up without a fight, and given how seriously she has taken this contest thus far this is no exception. She doesn't ask though, and Carmilla doesn't offer any explanation, so Laura contents herself with spending the day out camping together.

They put up their tent by a lake and sit outside on logs, roasting marshmallows at a fire Carmilla created out of thin air. They've wrapped themselves in blankets, but that doesn't stop Laura from huddling as close to Carmilla's body as possible.

They may not completely sane for going out camping while there are still mountains of snow around them, but since Carmilla's a vampire and Laura has fighting evil as a part-time job, sane is not exactly the best adjective to describe them under any circumstances.

The fire dies out after a while, and Laura's about to ask Carmilla to make another when she pulls Laura closer to her and whispers,

"Please don't. We can't see any of stars with the fire blinding us."

"Okay," Laura breathes, and nuzzles into Carmilla's neck. She can feel her vocal cords moving as she speaks, so she turns her head to be able to hear what she has to say.

"They're so…I don't even know what to call them. Calling them beautiful would erase the sadness that hides underneath. Inspiring is too plain. I look at them, and I feel so many things, but I can't put them into words…kind of how I am with you."

Carmilla pauses, and it's only then Laura realizes she's been holding her breath. She exhales slowly, trying not to ruin the moment. Fortunately, she doesn't.

"I look at you, and I see so many amazing things, and they just kind of hit all at once. I cannot choose one that's more important than the other, it would be unfair. I cannot talk about you to someone else without wanting to mention your bravery, and your kindness and your ability to see the best in people all at once, I just…there's not one thing that's more…_you _than the others."

"Don't forget my complete and utter obsession with Doctor Who."

Carmilla blows out a breath and laughs, "That too." She looks down at Laura and rests their foreheads together, "You are indescribable, Laura Hollis. You are indescribable, and I still cannot believe that I am yours."

Laura presses her lips against Carmilla's skin, before saying, "You are awfully romantic tonight."

"I am awfully in love with you."

Laura finally raises her head and kisses her properly.

"Marry me." Carmilla says as she pulls back.

Laura looks around them before focusing back on Carmilla when she sees they're alone. "Wait, is this…like, for real?"

Carmilla kisses her again, "Marry me, for real," she smiles, presses their lips back together.

"You're not kidding?" Laura breaths in Carmilla's mouth between kisses.

"Not kidding. Marry me," Carmilla kisses her lips, "Marry me," her chin, "Marry me," her nose, "I am not kidding and seriously asking you to marry me," her lips once again.

"If you insist," Laura answers grinning, before leaning in to kiss her again. Due to too much eagerness however, she loses her balance and falls off the lodge and into the snow.

Carmilla laughs as she hears Laura huff. She doesn't help her up, choosing instead to crawl up above her. "I respectfully insist that you marry me." She says before leaning down to kiss her lips.

"Okay."

"You will?"

"I will. Yes, I will, I'll marry you," Laura whispers, grinning. Carmilla's grin mirrors her own – as in being shit-eating and big enough that her cheeks hurt. "We're engaged." Laura squeals, after it finally settles in.

"I suppose we are. Congratulations, cupcake, you got yourself the hottest vampire in town."

"I'm pretty sure you're the only vampire in town."

"Touché." Carmilla pauses, "Hey Laura," she says, suddenly serious.

"What is it?"

"…does this mean I have to start watching Doctor Who?"


End file.
